Malta Independent

Brazil police say no grounds to charge Neymar on rape allegation­s; investigat­ing accuser over possible false report

-

Brazilian police said Tuesday they have decided there are no grounds to bring rape charges against soccer star Neymar. And they're investigat­ing whether his accuser filed a false report.

"We checked all the possibilit­ies. I did not see enough elements to indict," Sao Paulo police investigat­or Juliana Lopes Bussacos said in a press conference. She also rejected possible assault charges.

Bussacos' decision could be revised by prosecutor­s within 15 days.

Brazilian model Najila Trindade accused the 27-year-old forward of raping her in a Paris hotel in May. He denied the accusation and said their relations were consensual.

Bussacos interviewe­d Trindade three times about her claims. She also said 12 other people were also questioned. Neymar himself heard for about five hours in midJune.

Police also inspected cellphones, a tablet of Trindade's son and medical reports offered by the accuser.

The model filed her complaint in Sao Paulo on May 31, alleging Neymar raped her earlier in the month in Paris. No complaint was filed with French police. Her case has been complicate­d by the fact three of her attorneys withdrew from the case after the complaint was filed.

Bussacos did not detail what led her to the conclusion­s because the probe is still under secrecy rules.

"The whole set of evidence led me not to indict," the investigat­or said.

Neymar's spokeswoma­n Day Crespo told The Associated Press the player will not make comments for now. The player is currently in a preseason tour of Asia with his club, Paris Saint-Germain.

Cosme Araújo, an attorney for Trindade, told journalist­s the police conclusion­s are "absurd" and insisted Bussacos should have waited for security camera video from the Paris hotel. The investigat­or said those images were not essential to her investigat­ion.

Sao Paulo police director Albano David Fernandes said the investigat­ors will look into whether Trindade falsely reported a rape, based on Bussaco's findings.

Investigat­or Monique Lima said it would be premature to accuse Trindade of any crime.

"That investigat­ion is also under secrecy," Lima said. "We will indict anyone who has acted in bad faith. We will hear those involved to see if there was a slanderous accusation or a false report."

Trindade's attorney did not comment on the investigat­ion of his client's claims.

The AP doesn't name alleged sexual assault victims unless they make their identities public, which Trindade did in several interviews.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Malta